Last Modified: Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 4:31 p.m.

Sarasota County substitute teacher Karen Powell has been charged with battery on a student.

The alleged incident occurred on Feb. 15 during sixth period in North Port's Woodland Middle School.

Powell, who is no longer allowed to sub for the district, is scheduled to be arraigned April 23 on the criminal misdemeanor charge.

Last month, a student told authorities she was trying to find China in her book when she raised her hand to ask her substitute teacher, Karen Powell.

Powell pushed the student's head forward and the student “had to resist the push so her face would not hit her book,” according to court documents.

“If you just look in the book,” Powell reportedly told the student. “Do you see it?”

In a Feb. 21 email to human resources, Woodland assistant principal Raymond Wilson said the school was investigating Powell for allegedly touching a student on the neck and pushing her head into a book.

In another incident also on Feb. 15, Powell told a student she was going to stick a pencil in his ear to see if it would come out the other side and also cut his hair off, according to the email.

On Feb. 21, the Department of Children and Families received the battery complaint against the teacher.

Authorities interviewed other students in the classroom and three told similar stories about what happened, the court documents said.

Powell, who started subbing Dec. 10, 2012, worked 22.5 days and was paid $115 per day, according to Sarasota County Schools records.

The sub assignments were at Woodland, Venice and Heron Creek middle schools as well as Toledo Blade and Cranberry elementary schools.

Woodland Middle, which has about 750 students, is at 2700 Panacea Blvd.

<p><em>NORTH PORT</em> - A Sarasota County substitute teacher was charged with battery after she allegedly pushed a student's head down for asking a question, court records show this week.</p><p>The alleged incident occurred on Feb. 15 during sixth period in North Port's Woodland Middle School.</p><p>Powell, who is no longer allowed to sub for the district, is scheduled to be arraigned April 23 on the criminal misdemeanor charge.</p><p>Last month, a student told authorities she was trying to find China in her book when she raised her hand to ask her substitute teacher, Karen Powell.</p><p>Powell pushed the student's head forward and the student “had to resist the push so her face would not hit her book,” according to court documents.</p><p>“If you just look in the book,” Powell reportedly told the student. “Do you see it?”</p><p>In a Feb. 21 email to human resources, Woodland assistant principal Raymond Wilson said the school was investigating Powell for allegedly touching a student on the neck and pushing her head into a book.</p><p>In another incident also on Feb. 15, Powell told a student she was going to stick a pencil in his ear to see if it would come out the other side and also cut his hair off, according to the email.</p><p>On Feb. 21, the Department of Children and Families received the battery complaint against the teacher.</p><p>Authorities interviewed other students in the classroom and three told similar stories about what happened, the court documents said.</p><p>Powell, who started subbing Dec. 10, 2012, worked 22.5 days and was paid $115 per day, according to Sarasota County Schools records.</p><p>The sub assignments were at Woodland, Venice and Heron Creek middle schools as well as Toledo Blade and Cranberry elementary schools.</p><p>Woodland Middle, which has about 750 students, is at 2700 Panacea Blvd.</p><p>Powell could not be reached for comment Tuesday.</p>